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DT 28241

Daily Telegraph Cryptic No 28241

Hints and tips by Miffypops

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BD Rating – Difficulty ** – Enjoyment ****

Good morning from the heart of Downtown LI where there is hardly a cloud in the sky. Classic Rufus today with lots of his trademark double definitions and cryptic definitions. There is a lot to enjoy in this puzzle.

Below are some hints and tips which should either

Give you a push towards an answer you have trouble solving

Explain the workings of the clue so that you know why your answer is correct

Definitions are underlined. If none of the above helps please ask away. An explanation will quickly appear.

The illustrations provided may or may not have anything to do with the clue or the answer.

Please leave a comment telling us what you thought.

Across

1a Essential spaniel’s in bed after going walkies (13)INDISPENSABLE: We have the first of many anagrams to start us off today. The anagram fodder is SPANIEL’S IN BED. The anagram indicators are the words after going walkies. I doubt that we will a more amusing anagram indicator for some time.

10a Simpers, out to influence (7)IMPRESS: Anagram (out) of SIMPERS. After an excellent anagram indicator we return to the oldest and tiredest indicator there is. Out. I would out the word out. Overused overtired over and out.

11a Head off disaster going to a party with fruit (7)AVOCADO: Remove (head off) the first letter from a word meaning disaster or chaos. Add the letter A from the clue and our regular word for a party.

12a Willowyspruce (4)TRIM: Double definition. Very neat.

13a Mr Runyan has a setback — he’s domestically unstable (5)NOMAD: Reverse Mr Runyan’s (the American novelist) first name to find a group of people known for their wandering lifestyle.

14a Shakespeare is forbidden, we hear (4)BARD: A homophone based on a word that means banned from entry which is what Shakespeare is known as.

17a Eton was upset? It’s not a problem! (2,5)NO SWEAT: Anagram (upset) of ETON WAS

18a Sportsmen seen at the bank (7)ANGLERS: The bank here is a river bank. This is a description of those who sit there trying to catch fish. I don’t class fishing as a sport any more than I do golf.

19a Economise in vain (7)USELESS: Double definition the first of which needs to be split 3,4 to make sense

22a Act as chairman, but show partiality in advance? (7)PRESIDE: split 3, 4 The first word is a prefix meaning preceded. The second word means to ally oneself with someone or something

24a Error one should catch? (4)SLIP: A double definition. The second a fielder in a cricket match who is expected to make catches

25a Computer operator gets instant employment (5)MOUSE: Split 2,3 we need an instant or small period of time and an example of employment

26a Bananasfour inches in measure (4)HAND: This four inch measurement is used in equestrian circles. The word banana comes from an Arab word “banan” meaning finger. An individual banana is called a finger. A bunch of bananas is called a hand. The scientific name for banana is musa sapientum, which mean fruit of the wise men.

29a Finishing playing one’s part (7)EXITING: The action of leaving the stage as directed by a playwright. Stage left, stage right or pursued by a bear.

30a Where lots are put up only to be knocked down (7)AUCTION: These lots are items for sale by competitive bidding. What is required is the name of that type of sale

ARVE Error: id and provider shortcodes attributes are mandatory for old shortcodes. It is recommended to switch to new shortcodes that need only url

31a Bug set off a nameless illness (6,7)GERMAN MEASLES: an anagram (set off) of A NAMELESS follows a micro organism described informally as a bug

Down

2d They roll up and after opening up they clean up (7)NAPKINS: No wordplay here. We have a cryptic definition of a type of table linen

3d Aide contrived plan (4)IDEA: Anagram (contrived) of AIDE

4d Complete the course and get dead drunk (4,3)PASS OUT: Double definition. In the military this action often includes a parade

5d Once more put up half rain falls (7)NIAGARA: A word meaning once more is reversed (put up) The first half of the word RA(in) is then added to make the name of the waterfalls on the borders of the USA and Canada

6d Unidentified girl accepts ring (4)ANON: Place the letter that looks like a ring inside a girl’s name. Which girls name? Who knows? Just as you don’t know this person.

7d Unauthorised disclosure over time causes a loss in liquid assets (7)LEAKAGE: The unauthorised disclosure of secret information is followed by a period of time

8d Saw the differences and celebrated (13)DISTINGUISHED: A double definition the second, celebrated, referring to a person.

9d Disdainful prisoner being sent down (13)CONDESCENDING: Our usual suspect criminal is followed by a word meaning to be moving downwards

15d It goes to the head of Basques and servicemen (5)BERET: A form of headwear favoured by certain military types and French onion sellers

16d In time about to get on together (5)AGREE: Take the same length of time as used in 7d and insert (In) our regular two lettered word meaning about

20d Building seen from both ends of editor’s office (7)EDIFICE: This building can be found using the first part of the word editor’s and the last part of the word office.

21d Well directed, it may finish off the game (7)SHOTGUN: A cryptic definition of what one might use to end the life of those innocent animals or birds referred to as game.

ARVE Error: id and provider shortcodes attributes are mandatory for old shortcodes. It is recommended to switch to new shortcodes that need only url

22d Extract from part of a book about a ship (7)PASSAGE: A single leaf from a book is wrapped around A from the clue and the initial letters of Steam Ship

23d Silver in one place of gold — just fancy (7)IMAGINE: Place the symbol letters for the element silver inside the letter that looks like the number one and the place where gold might be extracted from.

27d Settledbusiness (4)FIRM: A double definition the second being the easier to solve

28d Experts in cards (4)ACES: And another double definition. The second being playing cards with a value of one or eleven in pontoon

Great puzzle and lots to smile about. I was tempted to put ‘calm’ into 27d because of the checking letter from 31a. Realised the word did not fit the second part of the clue which became obvious. I am learning.I have lots of favourites today. Thank you setter and Miffypops.

I thought this puzzle was a bit mixed with some good clues and some strange ones – such as 12a which I pencilled in but had a hard time really believing that the meanings were accurate (willowy?). Anyway it had to be what it was. I would also question 25a – operator? Really?

Anyway, it was not too difficult and finished without any major problems.

I quite liked this one, there being fewer anagrams than usual for a Rufus crossword. My favourite clue goes to 20d which I thought was rather clever. Couldn’t decide for a while whether 2d should be what it is or “nappies”. Fortunately, I settled for the correct answer. Thanks to all.

I put in “thin” as the answer for 12a even though I wasn’t totally comfortable with it. Revealing the answer in MP’s excellent review showed me the reason for my discomfort.

I initially put “archers” for 18a and was going to have a moan about the use of a fairly obscure US bank until I twigged what 16d was. It’s just as well as the right answer has allowed MP the opportunity for a brilliant cartoon.

Unusually for Rufus he has used the same synonym for “time” in both 7d & 16d, which is a bit disappointing.

Two visits for me , interrupted by walkies, agree a witty anagram indicator.
SW corner gave trouble as 31a eluded me.for a while. Also as Alec ‘nappies’ was first thought for 2d. Like RD spent ages trying to justify ‘thin’ / ‘trim’ for 12a before opting for the latter.
Disappointed it took longer than it should but was time well spent as it was an enjoyable solve.
Thanks to setter & MP for review

Never heard of 13a either. Only Runyan I’ve heard of is Tygh and getting that to fit made some strange words. Put avocate for 11a, clue could have been either so struggled with 9d until the obvious penny dropped.Otherwise a pleasant R&W.

I agree with Barry. As an 82 year old I am comfortable with clues about ‘the old days’; ‘mashies and ‘brassies’ in golf and musicals like South Pacific .
I fear for the future however. The DT crosswords seem to be set by the elderly for the elderly and there’s no harm in that. Problem is that without interest from younger readers the crossword may die with the demise of printed newspapers.
Alas for the pessimism of old age. I really enjoyed to-day’s puzzle so thanks to setter and Miffipops.
Serl

Perhaps familiarity with Runyon is like proficiency at billiards — a sign of a misspent youth. And as someone else once put it Serl, I tackle the DT crossword first thing in the morning to see if I have enough marbles left to make it worth getting up.

I’m sixty and I’ve heard of Damon Runyon. I get my DT X word from the Hong Kong Standard. We’re about a week behind the UK and it’s not numbered. This one was clever and amusing. By the way, excellent blog Big Dave!

Going for a 2.5*/ **** as the SW corner took longer than it should.
Nicely varied inventive clues from Rufus-20d was a bit different, don’t recall seeing anything similar.
The Runyan I looked up was named Jon, so initially I had JONAH for 13a-knew in my heart of hearts that it was incorrect , as further probing revealed.
Anyway excellent start to the week, thanks to MP. Regarding the pic for 18a, someone once sent me a card on similar lines when Moses responded to one of the Red Sea crossers complaints by retorting-‘ what do you mean it’s muddy ! ‘

Satisfyingly cryptic which is as it should be. Gentleman (?) in 13a unknown to me. Solved 18a by settling on ‘band’ as Google told me there was a Shakespeare band – dim of me. My sportsmen and bank employees in 18a were ‘runners’ – could be! Agree with MP hint for 9d but not sure where the ‘sent’ in the clue comes in. Thanks Rufus and MP. ***/***.

Angel – somewhat archaic, ‘being sent down’ probably comes from the fact that, in older court buildings, the cells were in the basement with stairs directly from the dock in the court room. So, on being found guilty and given a custodial term, the prisoner was ‘sent down’ to the cells before being transferred to prison.

Damon Runyon was born Alfred Damon Runyan to Alfred Lee and Elizabeth (Damon) Runyan. At one of the newspapers where he worked, the spelling of his last name was changed from “Runyan” to “Runyon”, a change he let stand.

Lovely day up here near the Scottish Borders, but quite cool – so our oil boiler decided to pack up. Temporary fix by wonderful local plumber so now had time for today’s puzzle.
Got stuck in SE corner with 23d and therefore 22a too and also never heard of Mr Runyan/ Runyon. Made it in the end with help from MP.
Enjoyed it very much. Favourite 25a.
Thanks to MP and Setter.

I didn’t get quite as stuck today as I sometimes do on Mondays.
I’ve never heard of the 13a US author (as in American rather than the meaning that we’ve had quite a few times recently) – this is exactly the kind of clue I don’t like as it’s something you either know or you don’t know – you can’t work it out – whinge over!
21d was my last answer – just couldn’t see it.
I liked 1a because I’ve never seen that anagram indicator before – loved it.
I also liked 26a (I made banana bread this morning) and 20d. My favourite was 31a.
With thanks to Rufus and to MP.
Off to do ‘useful stuff’ – Rookie corner later.

I started off well and then ground to a halt half way down. In the end I felt that 19a was describing me precisely. I didn’t help myself admittedly by using NAPPIES for 1d, (made sense to me…)
Otherwise Rufus serving up a good Monday crossword. 2/3*
Thanks to Rufus, and to MP for his review.,

Must be a happy old person today because I enjoyed every minute of this Monday masterpiece. 8 and 9d were superb and I spotted 31a as well. Did know 13a as I recently read some of his stories, so I did not feel 19a. Rain promised but did not materialise. Thanks to Rufus and Miffypops

As MP says in his introduction, a classic Rufus puzzle which as usual contained lots to enjoy, although I thought that the surface in 5d was surprisingly clunky and un-Rufusesque.

My ticked clues were 1a, 25a, 31a, 20d and 21d. 2d probably qualifies as another example of a Monday clue that has little or no cryptic content.

I tend to agree with MP about angling being regarded as a sport, although I concede if synchronised swimming can make the Olympics then anything’s possible. RD is quite correct (of course!) about the slightly disappointing repeated use of “time” to clue the last syllables of 7d and 16d.

I was, as usual, right on Rufus’s wavelength today and almost R&W.
My last in was 29a, why, I don’t know as it’s one of the easiest.
There’s lots to enjoy here, but I choose 1a as fave for the unusual and delightful anagram indicator.
Thanks to Rufus and to M’pops for his entertaining hints.

Straightforward enough apart from 13a which I stumbled on. I ended up with Jonah as mr Google first showed me a certain Mr Jon Runyan and no option for the novelist. So thanks to MP for the hint and the setter for an otherwise pleasant challenge.

A first rate puzzle, quite the best Monday offering I’ve seen for a good while.

Pretty much everything under the north west south east diagonal proved rather tricky and it was a struggle to finish. Hard to pick a favourite from a number of very good clues that included 26a,19a, 25a, 8d, 29a, 12a, 15d and 13a. I’ll say 13a as it was last in. 24d, 24a and 20d also appealed.

I couldn’t reconcile the fisrt part of 11a but I see from the review that it was straightforward and it was just me being dim.

The usual Monday struggle for me. One day I’ll get the hang of Rufus. About three quarters completed easily enough, and then I ground to a halt. I suspect it’s a wavelength thing, except I’m on a completely different wavelength. Mr Runyan was new to me, and a cheeky google only brought up a Jon Runyan, which didn’t help much. We don’t talk much about hands of bananas in these parts either, with the result that 13 and 26 were my last in, with the checking letters little help really. Onwards and upwards.

Enjoyable Rufus puzzle, with helpful hints and pics from Miffypops. Needed help on 24a and 29a, never having used those words, at least not in the sports element of 24a. And fell into the nappies trap, ugh. Age and origin showing as they are diapers over here.

I completed three quarters of this with a fresh brain this morning before I left for my first day in a new job, just a few at the bottom to complete.
A day in a new job, coupled with Southern’s inability to run a train service meant that by the time I looked at the crossword again this evening, my brain had turned to mush and the rest of the crossword may as well have been written in Chinese.
A shame and I fear that my new job is going to seriously hinder this new pastime, which is a real shame.
Thanks to MP and Rufus.